Help: SMC PENTAX-A 50mm ƒ/1.2 lens Manual focus

Hi
hope someone can help.

Pentax have announced the discontinuation of the

SMC PENTAX-A 50mm ƒ/1.2 lens Manual focus

This lens is important to me as the company I work for build an instrument that uses this lens.
It’s important that I use a K mount manual focus type because the instrument would otherwise have to have a total redesign.

What’s not important is the f/1.2… I could go upto f/1.7

Any ideas of where I can get an equivalent lens?

Your help is greatly appreciated

Lambert

There will probably still be plenty of stocks somewhere so you could always by in bulk to while you still can.

They may have discontinued it but as a business using their product in
what you manufacture you surely have some agreement so they may still
make them privatly for you or if that is not the case seek such a deal.

Pentax USA still make/market a manual focus f2, but that's not much use if you can only go to f1.7. Also, are they just ceasing manufacture or are they stopping all supplies? They might be on the shelves for a while yet.

I was under the impresion that the Autofocus lenses are almost the same as the manual focus lenses, expect with gearing to connect to the AF motor in the camera body - you don't actually have to use this, as you can use AF lenses in MF on MF bodies. Pentax sell the AF f1.4 for around £220 with the f1.7 about £130 (I've never heard of a f.12 AF)

Could you get in used ones (second hand f1.7 lenses go for about £25-£30, f1.4 about £70-80ish, no idea re. f1.2) and have them professionally refurbished?

Is the optical make-up of the lens important (i.e. number of elements and groups etc.)?

Sorry, more questions than answers

Matt